With two screenings dedicated to Irish shorts today, there’s a great mix of titles to get stuck into from established and up-and-coming Irish filmmakers alike.

The first of these is New Irish Shorts 2, which kicked off at 10:00 this morning in the Town Hall Theatre, while New Irish Shorts 3 follows at 12:00.

Remember many of these writers, directors, producers and their cast members are networking at the Fleadh, so whether you’ve seen the films or not, these are the people you need to chat with if you’re breaking into the industry.

New Irish Shorts 2, Town Hall Theatre, 10:00My Father, My Blood
Director: John Robert Brown
Producers: Danielle Harvey & Tibo Travers
A child watches their father murder a woman in cold blood. As they continue to live nomadically, their relationship begins to break apart.

London Baby
Director: Adam H Stewart
Producers: Aimee Rivers, Susannah Wilson & Garry Walsh
Two successful women, who are very much in love, decide to have a baby and their relationship falls apart. Set in contemporary London, this is a universal tale of pain and loss.

Away with the Fairies
Director: Helen Flanagan
Producer: Sarah Gunn
Distressed and exhausted new mother Maura becomes fixated on the idea that there might be sinister forces at work, deliberately causing her baby’s unease.

CAKE
Director: Alan Friel
Producer: Farah Abuswesha
Two women in a barren wasteland discuss the best way to die.

Monkeys in The Garden
Director: Marie Clare Cushinan
Producers: Marie Clare Cushinan & Ryan O’Neill
Ciara is finding it increasingly difficult to cope as carer for her mother with dementia. The arrival of her sister Amy, forces Ciara to re-evaluate how she deals with her mother’s disease.

Dependent
Director: Phil Sheerin
Producer: Michelle Stein
Josh escapes from his care home to protect his mother from her ex, only to find out the situation isn’t quite as it seemed.

Lula
Director: Aoife O’Kelly
Producer: Sara Kurp
In Nazi-occupied Poland, 1944, as the Gestapo close in on a Polish resistance officer in hiding, his pregnant wife is faced with a difficult choice between protecting her husband or their unborn child.

New Irish Shorts 3, Town Hall Theatre 12:00
For You
Director: Brendan Canty
Producer: David Lester Mooney
A socially isolated girl struggles with her alcoholic mother until an act of devotion from her boyfriend offers relief and the strength to love.

Gustav
Directors: Ken Williams & Denis Fitzpatrick
Producer: Steven Daly
A young man wakes up with a tune in his head. But how did it get there?

Beside Himself
Director: Nick Rutter
Producer: Brendan Mullin
It’s the wee hours in Belfast and one man goes to a police station looking for absolution. But what does he really want to confess anyway?

Jonathan Farrelly, Producer:
“Yeah, we got in! I’ve never been down so I’m excited to get there and see what’s what! It’s great to get in and it’ll be nice to go and celebrate but the real work starts here. It’s all well and good having a nice short but you need to act on it to make sure that that little bit of heat you might get doesn’t escape out the chimney.”

Peel
Director: Annika Cassidy
Producer: Annika Cassidy
When Olivia is pushed to her limit, she has to find the determination and inner strength to carry on through life’s most difficult times.

Seedling
Director: Stevie Russell
Producer: Michael Donnelly
A young couple experience an incredible encounter which leads them to realise: sometimes scary stuff can be beautiful.

MUM
Director: Anne-Marie O’Connor
Producer: Anne-Marie O’Connor & Kate Larking
When Kate goes back to see her mother after some time away, she realises that, far from being ready for a day out, her mother is gravely ill and no one thought to tell her.